Robinson Discusses Supreme Court Cases on Voluntary Integration at Harvard Law School
On November 29, Professor Robinson participated in a panel at Harvard Law School hosted by the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race & Justice on the cases pending before the Supreme Court that will determine whether school districts that are no longer under court order to desegregate may consider race when they attempt to integrate their schools on a voluntary basis. The panel, entitled "Is Brown Still Relevant? The Seattle and Louisville Cases," examined the potential implications of the Supreme Court's decisions, including the importance of maintaining Brown's legacy of integrated schools and potential options for school districts if the plans in Louisville and Seattle are found unconstitutional. Professor Robinson's remarks presented her analysis of the Court's options for applying strict scrutiny in a way that recognizes the importance of local control of public schools. She also expressed her hope that if the plans are ruled unconstitutional, a new generation of civil rights attorneys will be galvanized to address the inequities in schools, health care and other areas that adversely affect student achievement. The Supreme Court heard oral argument on the cases on Monday, December 4, 2006. You may view the panel at http://www.law.harvard.edu/media/2006/11/29/chhibrownrel.rm.
(Prof. Robinson's section begins ~ minute 51)